Fishless Cycle Log/Rebuild - Take II

[librarygirl]

My first attempt at cycling my tank was catastrophic, but being a perfectionist, stubborn, and someone with OCD, I decided to try again with a new setup. And I had to do it ASAP (hence the OCD lol).

So, take II.

Here's what I have:

20 gal Top Fin tall glass aquarium (24.2"w x 12.5" d x 16.7" h)
New canopy and light (MUCH better lighting and door access to the tank)
Fluval U2 filter for 12-30 gal (2 foam/carbon pads and in the middle is a "biomax" cartridge which looks like some sort of ceramic or clay pieces)
Black aquarium gravel
Fake plants
1 large decor piece
A few aquarium rocks
Air pump and air stone

The only thing I'm using from my old tank is the heater (thoroughly rinsed) since it's fairly new and the air pump.

I filled it with water (Prime treated - bought a new bottle) and it's running now. I haven't added ammonia yet but will in a bit. I filled the tank too fast (again) and there are bubbles stuck to EVERYTHING in the tank but I'm hoping this is OK (last pic below).

I definitely need to get an automatic siphon if this tank works out; lugging buckets for a 20 gal is much less "fun" than for a 12 gal lol

I soaked/rinsed the entire tank and all the decor in hot water.

I'm worried about the gravel. I learned that black gravel is messy. Many small particles were rinsed out in a colander but it's impossible to get them all. Some are floating on the top of the tank. I'm hoping in the x weeks it tanks to cycle this thing they'll all float to the top and I can just take them out with a net and it'll be OK?

Pics below (after about 3 hours. My back hurts! And I still need to figure out how to get all the little pieces of black particles from the substrate out of my tub).

Am I missing anything?

Here we go....again. Fingers crossed.

 

[Bud]

Cool. I'm crossing my fingers for you. Those bubbles will go away in a couple of days. Nothing to worry about.

 

[eco23]

Take 2! Seems you've got everything set. Just remember that unless you can get ahold of more seeded media...it's going to take time before you see any ammonia dropping. I'd dose it to 3-4ppm and completely forget about it for a week. We don't need miracles..we just want a cycled tank eventually . You know I'll be pulling for you.

 

[firteen888]

Good luck! I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[James_in_MN]

I wish you the best of luck Librarygirl!

I believe that you'll easily see a successful fishless cycle with this tank based solely on the difference in filters. I never liked the filter design in the Marineland kits because the water poured over thin filter media. This filter you have will force the water through two filter sponges with a pump, and you have ceramic rings for more bacteria growth.

One thing I'll suggest that you don't even have to think about now is adding another filter down the road. Don't replace the one you have, just add to it. I suggest either the AquaClear 20 or 50 HoB filter for that size of a tank.

I only suggest that because my main filter on my 20g tank is an AquaClear 50 that moves 200gph, and my backup filter is a Marineland Duetto 100 that moves 100gph. Your filter is a 100gph filter, and I suspect might be the bare minimum filtration for a 20g tank. Now, I over filter my tanks quite a bit because, as others will suggest, there's no such thing as over filtering, but you don't have to go to that extreme. The AquaClear 20 (100gph) would probably be good combined with the filter you have.

That aside, I hope to see much success and happiness in this thread.

 

[librarygirl]

Thanks everyone! I hope this chapter has a better ending than the last one.

I dosed it up to about 2 now. I don't want to overdose which I also think might have been a problem in my other tank. I also accidentally threw out the new siphon I bought today (didn't want to use the old one just in case) so if I overdose I won't be able to change water (well, at least not as easily) until I get a new siphon in a day or so. I also need to get a dropper or syringes (weirdly hard to find) for easier dosing and measuring. So for now I'm leaving it at 2, at least until I get a new siphon.

Interesting idea about another filter James. I do have the AquaClear as you said, new in the box that came with the tank that I didn't use. I also have a 5 gal hex tank that I first purchased but then realized was too small for much so it's in my closet. I could add a second filter to this tank and then use it to filter the smaller tank as a QT tank in an emergency (oh geez, I hope not!). And, as you said, it doesn't hurt to have more filtration. I'll take a look at the filter this week and see what it's like, maybe I'll just pop it on.

I'm going to (try) to forget about the tank, at least until next Sunday. I decided not to cover it with plastic bags like I did the last tank; it's too depressing and at least I can watch the air stone. lol. There's no direct light o the tank and very little indirect and I'll keep the tank lights off. And at this point if algae grows then at least it's something living in there!

If it doesn't work this time I'm getting out the sledgehammer and you all are invited.

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

shall i break out the gravel now or later

 

[librarygirl]

shall i break out the gravel now or later

I was debating whether I should ask

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

i don't mind at all i may even give you a small rock (good surface area so hopefully lots of bb)

 

[James_in_MN]

I also need to get a dropper or syringes (weirdly hard to find) for easier dosing and measuring. So for now I'm leaving it at 2, at least until I get a new siphon.

I have two of them.

My first one comes with the Tetratest Laborette aquarium test kit. It will hold up to 15ml of liquid, which is less than I wanted to take from my tanks at one time, so I only use that for measuring out ammonia for fishless cycling right now.

My other one is just a cheap baster I found on sale at Target. I tossed the needle on the end of it since I don't need it. It will hold up to 30ml of liquid, so I use it to draw water out of my tank to test nitrogen cycle levels, water hardness, etc. I've also been using it to shoot some food down to my ADFs.

 

[librarygirl]

I have two of them.

My first one comes with the Tetratest Laborette aquarium test kit. It will hold up to 15ml of liquid, which is less than I wanted to take from my tanks at one time, so I only use that for measuring out ammonia for fishless cycling right now.

My other one is just a cheap baster I found on sale at Target. I tossed the needle on the end of it since I don't need it. It will hold up to 30ml of liquid, so I use it to draw water out of my tank to test nitrogen cycle levels, water hardness, etc. I've also been using it to shoot some food down to my ADFs.

That's a good idea too (the baster). I'll have to look around.

Ooh, you have ADFs? How are they to take care of? I'd absolutely love to get 2-3 for my tank. Looking at my setup, would they be OK in there? (I measured from the top of the substrate to the water line and it's about 13.5" high). I would also add some terra cotta pots for them to hide out in. I have plastic plants in there now, not sure if silk would be better for them? And the substrate....IDK about it, the black seems less smooth and more dusty than the colored ones for some reason, which concerns me.

Do you have them in a community tank with fish?

Sorry for all the questions!

 

[James_in_MN]

My ADFs are in my 10g tank with harlequin espeis and pygmy gouramis. I also still have what's left of my RCS in there (I believe my gouramis are hunting them) along with amano shrimp and nerite snails.

From what I've read, you have to practically dangle the food in front of their face for them to eat it, LOL. I've been soaking my freeze dried food before feeding it to my fish, so I've been pulling some of that into my turkey baster and shooting it at the ADFs. Another way of feeding them, from what I've read, is by hand.

I have hiding places in my tank, whether it's under the driftwood, or in a small ceramic cave I bought, or even in the java moss.

 

[Ickletas]

Followed your last thread, fingers (and everything else!) crossed for you

 

[librarygirl]

Monday, June 20
Day 8

Ammonia: ~1 (between 0.5 and 1)
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 0
PH: off chart, dark blue
Hi Ph: 7.4-7.5

Numbers are the same as they were yesterday (although the ammonia may have been closer to 1 than it is today but it also could be the lighting, hard to tell), it is lower than the 2 I dosed with originally.

I'm dosing it back up to about 3 tonight.

Since I started this post I made the following additions to the tank (received a full refund for my old 12 gallon and couldn't resist lol):

-- Purchased an AquaClear 20 HOB filter (with sponge, carbon, biomedia) as suggested by James for extra filtration. Question: I had to cut out one of the perforated spaces in the rear of the lid, however this is too wide for the filter -- a good few inches remain between the end of the HOB and the beginning of the lid -- and is exposing water to the air. I figure now it might be good, but when (!) I get livestock in there I don't want them escaping; how do I plug up the hole?

-- Added a mesh bag of seeded gravel, a rock, and filter clipping from Wolfpack

-- Added two more pieces of decor

It's only (ugh lol feels like forever) been 8 days since I re-started so I'm not going to panic about the nitrite tube still being blue, but I'd give my arm for some purple lol I'm nervous too given my lack of results last time; if it happens again I'm going to end up in the loony bin!

If you told me a few months ago I'd be drooling over used gravel and a purple tube I'd think you were lol But here I am...

The game continues....

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

im warming up my sledgehammer now

 

[librarygirl]

im warming up my sledgehammer now

LOL Nooo don't jinx me!!

 

[xxwolfpackof1xx]

lol we should see some movement this time i don't see why not remember young padawan paitence is key

 

[James_in_MN]

Monday, June 20
Day 8

Ammonia: ~1 (between 0.5 and 1)
NitrIte: 0
NitrAte: 0
PH: off chart, dark blue
Hi Ph: 7.4-7.5

If ammonia is starting to drop, nitrItes shouldn't be too far now.

Since I started this post I made the following additions to the tank (received a full refund for my old 12 gallon and couldn't resist lol):

Glad to hear you were fully refunded Libraygirl.

-- Purchased an AquaClear 20 HOB filter (with sponge, carbon, biomedia) as suggested by James for extra filtration. Question: I had to cut out one of the perforated spaces in the rear of the lid, however this is too wide for the filter -- a good few inches remain between the end of the HOB and the beginning of the lid -- and is exposing water to the air. I figure now it might be good, but when (!) I get livestock in there I don't want them escaping; how do I plug up the hole?

First of all, great purchase.

Secondly, don't worry too much about that hole. The aquarium top doesn't have to fully cover the top of the tank. It's primarily to help with evaporation, and only secondarily to help deter escapees.

 

[librarygirl]

Secondly, don't worry too much about that hole. The aquarium top doesn't have to fully cover the top of the tank. It's primarily to help with evaporation, and only secondarily to help deter escapees.

It still makes me nervous. Maybe not so much for fish unless for some reason I get a jumper lol But I do want ADFs in there at some point and read they can be good escape artists; I don't want to help them out lol I'll post a pic of the space tomorrow -- it's a fairly large gap (the smallest perforation was way too small, the next largest is the one I had to use but it was too big).

I'll retest parameters tomorrow (going to skip tonight or I'll drive myself nuts) and post them along with a pic of the HOB and the gap. Fingers crossed I see some purple. I re-dosed up to 3-4 PPM ammonia last night.

 

[James_in_MN]

It still makes me nervous. Maybe not so much for fish unless for some reason I get a jumper lol But I do want ADFs in there at some point and read they can be good escape artists; I don't want to help them out lol I'll post a pic of the space tomorrow -- it's a fairly large gap (the smallest perforation was way too small, the next largest is the one I had to use but it was too big).

My ADFs are in a 10g tank with an Aqueon deluxe full hood over it. I also had to remove a large piece of the back of the hood (designed to be removed) in order to put a HoB filter on the tank, and that hole is over 2 inches longer than my AquaClear 20. My ADFs haven't escaped yet, so you should be fine.